Time of final exam. The "choose time" WebAssignment for the final exam is now available. You should go ahead and make your exam time choice. Notice that there has been a slight change in the time that has previously been shown on the Test Info page at the class website. This change was required because we are unable to get access to the room until 4:00 PM on April 29. If you are in Section 005 and have a conflict that makes it impossible for you to attend either of the exam sessions on April 29 in HA G108, contact Dr. Page or Jennifer before April 22 to make other arrangements. Posted by lbpage ( Apr 16 2008, 09:54:38 AM EDT ) Permalink

Grade Info Updated. The grade information that WebAssign now shows is accurate for students who have completed Test #3. If you have NOT completed all three tests, your test average will not display correctly until you have completed Test #3. The present grade display bases your estimated grade 50% on homework average and 50% on the average of your three test grades. Remember that your final grade will be calculated according to the formula shown on the Grades Info page at the class web site.

The average test score for students who took the test last night in Harrelson Hall was 73.
Posted by lbpage ( Apr 16 2008, 09:30:37 AM EDT ) Permalink

Test #3 for DE Students. Students enrolled in MA 114 601 (Distance Education) will now see your Test #3 listed among your current WebAssignments. This test is now set up so that you can take it at the DE Proctoring Service at your convenience any time Tuesday-Friday of this week. If you have not already done so, you need to schedule a time at DE Proctoring so that you can complete your test at that location by 8 PM on Friday.
Posted by lbpage ( Apr 14 2008, 09:14:09 AM EDT ) Permalink

Away from Internet. I will be away from Internet access Wednesday through Friday of this week. So response may be delayed if you send e-mail to me during this period. Please contact Jennifer if you need help with anything during this period. Posted by lbpage ( Apr 01 2008, 09:23:05 PM EDT ) Permalink

Choose Time for Test #3. The "Choose Time for Test #3" WebAssignment is now available. Since the test is only a little over two weeks away, I urge you to plan ahead for the time you are going to take the test. Posted by lbpage ( Mar 29 2008, 12:46:51 PM EDT ) Permalink

Stats on Test #2. Pretty much everyone has completed Test #2 by now. A total of 131 students have taken this test, and the class average is 78.1. That is consistent with past experience on the 2nd test of the semester. Test #3 will be here before you know it, so get off to a quick start in Part 5. Posted by lbpage ( Mar 24 2008, 07:25:48 PM EDT ) Permalink

Grades. The grade information within WebAssign (under the grades tab) has been updated to include Test #2. So your estimated grade (based 50% on HW and 50% on the two tests) is now correct based on your work done so far provided you have completed Test #2. If you have not yet taken the test, your present grade shown is incorrect, but it will become correct on the day after you take the test. Posted by lbpage ( Mar 19 2008, 10:28:14 AM EDT ) Permalink

Grades Information. The view of your average grade in WebAssign has been closed until Test #2 is completed. The reason is as usual, i.e. to prevent the display of inaccurate information while test week is in progress. Posted by lbpage ( Mar 17 2008, 08:37:12 AM EDT ) Permalink

Special note to Section 601 students. John Pugh at DE Proctoring tells me that only 14 of you (in Section 601) have reserved a time for the test next week. Remember, next week is a short week because Friday is a holiday. Don't get caught in a pickle by sitting back while next week's slots all fill up leaving you with no way to do the test. SIGN UP NOW! Posted by lbpage ( Mar 14 2008, 04:03:54 PM EDT ) Permalink

Progress Reports. Academic Progress Reports were sent in today for all students who currently have an overall average of D+ or below at this point. This is based on the information provided under the grades tab in WebAssign. If you received a report and question why you received it, look at the grades information that WebAssign provides. If you have further questions, contact me or Jennifer. Posted by lbpage ( Feb 27 2008, 10:08:53 AM EST ) Permalink

Choose Time for Test #2. Your "Choose Time for Test #2" WebAssignment is now listed among your current WebAssignments. As usual it's a good idea to nail down your test time well in advance. Students in Section 005 should go ahead and pick one of the test times in Harrelson on March 18. Students in Section 601 should make a reservation at DE Proctoring for the period March 18 - 24 and indicate on the "Choose Time" WebAssignment that you've completed that step. Making your reservation at DE Proctoring well in advance will give you a better choice of times. So go ahead and do it. Posted by lbpage ( Feb 26 2008, 08:17:26 PM EST ) Permalink

Quiet Period. Things have been quiet lately. But remember that spring break is only 9 days away, and after spring break the next test will be here before you know it. So the best advice is the usual advice, i.e. stay ahead of the game and get your homework done before the last minute. The course changes a good bit as we move from Part 3 into Part 4. Techniques become much less computational, but more thinking is required. So you'll be using your brain more and computing tools (such as the row operations tool) much less. We won't be touching base with matrices again until Part 6. But it's certainly not a good time to be resting on your laurels. Parts 4 and 5 generally provide students with the most significant challenge that this class has to offer. Posted by lbpage ( Feb 20 2008, 10:28:53 AM EST ) Permalink

Test Results. Congratulations to everyone for a smoothly run test this week. With only a few students remaining to take the test, we have an average score of 85.2 compiled by the 114 students who have already completed it.

The grades module of WebAssign has been updated to include test grades. Presently your estimated grade in WebAssign is calculated based 50% on your homework average and 50% on Test #1. When you consult your grade in WebAssign you'll see something like the picture shown here.
The student whose info is shown has a 99.47 average on the 16 homework assignments completed so far, and a test score of 82 on Test #1. The reason for the "(3)" showing in the Test row is that 3 versions of the test were used, but obviously the student is graded on only the version completed by that student. You can click each of these numbers to get details on the calculation, but if you do that bear in mind that each student has only one test grade counted, so that makes the display a bit complicated.
Posted by lbpage ( Feb 08 2008, 09:06:29 AM EST ) Permalink

Grades. While tests are in progress, WebAssign gives misleading information about grades because some students have taken one version of the test, other students have taken a different version, and some tests are still in progress. On Friday I'll add a note to this news page explaining how to read accurate grade info after the WebAssign grading scripts have been updated to include Test #1 results. Posted by lbpage ( Feb 07 2008, 08:43:36 PM EST ) Permalink

Test Location. We have noticed that some students have indicated via the "Choose Time" WebAssignment an incorrect location for the test. Students enrolled in MA 114 005 cannot access the test at DE Proctoring Service. So setting up an appointment to take the test there is pointless. No test will be available to you because that test is restricted to the MA 114 601 roster.

Students enrolled in MA 114 601 show up in WebAssign as being in Section 005. That is irrelevant. If your registration is in Section 601, you should schedule your test at DE Proctoring this week.
Posted by lbpage ( Feb 05 2008, 04:11:41 PM EST ) Permalink